From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Illinois WR Pat Bryant.
#13 Pat Bryant/WR Illinois – 6021, 208 pounds (Senior)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Pat Bryant | 6021/208 | 9 3/8 | 31 1/4 | 77 3/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Checks height/weight boxes, looks the part
– Tough after the catch and grinds out extra yards, size/strength makes him hard to bring down and able to push forward in piles post-catch
– Good strength and able to break tackles
– Can stem and stack vertically, long-strider with build-up speed
– Showcases body control and tracking
– Hands catcher who grabs away from frame
– Can impose will as run blocker when playing with good effort/tenacity
– Clutch player who made timely plays
– Productive with impressive Catch: TD ratio despite rocky QB play
– Shows some positional/formational flexibility
– Captain and leader with seemingly strong character
The Bad
– Below-average athlete overall and smaller hands relative to frame
– Lacks suddenness and burst on underneath routes, creating too many contested situations
– Struggles to consistently create separation against tight/press coverage
– Not elite downfield and will lose out on jump balls
– Often slow off the line with elongated releases against press
– Tendency to leave feet on catch, limiting YAC
– Linear player without much change of direction
– Gears down to make catches over the middle
– Inconsistent run blocking effectiveness and tends to lean on defenders in the box, needs to do a better job cracking safeties coming downhill
– NFL route tree looks limited to vertical/downfield throws
Bio
– Turns 23 in December 2025
– Three-year starter (35 career starts)
– Career: 137 receptions, 2,095 yards (15.3 YPC) 19 TDs and six career kick returns (20.7-yard average)
– 2024: 54 receptions, 984 yards (18.2 YPC) 10 TDs; had three game-winning TDs in 2024
– Team captain in 2024
– PFF (2024): 472 wide WR snaps, 182 in slot
– Only one drop in 2024, down from four in 2023
– Three-star recruit from Jacksonville, Florida, chose Illinois over Florida State, Miami (FL), Penn State, and several other schools; chose Illinois for belief in school offering best support system while also wanting to get out of the South
– 128 receptions, 2,261 yards, and 23 TDs during HS career (also played at least sparingly on defense)
– Father was AD at Police Athletic League in Jacksonville (outreach program between law enforcement and youth community) until 2024; mother is financial aid advisor at USF
– Brother played LB for USF
– Has tattoos underneath both biceps honoring childhood friends killed by gun violence
– Calls football a “sanctuary” and escape
– Youngest of four siblings, 13 years younger than oldest brother
– Played variety of sports growing up, from football to basketball, soccer and golf
– Tore labrum in right shoulder in high school halfway through 2019 season, put off surgery to finish basketball season, opting to wear a shoulder brace
– Suffered 2024 concussion
Tape Breakdown
Despite a slew of offers that could’ve kept him near his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, Pat Bryant opted to leave the region and commit to Illinois even after hard pushes from Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. He handled a new coaching staff after Lovie Smith was fired and helped bring Illinois back to prominence, registering the team’s first ten-win season in 2024 since 2001 (when Kurt Kittner was QB and Brandon Lloyd the leading WR).
Bryant is a downfield playmaker who came up clutch with repeatedly game-winning touchdowns, including this long score to beat Rutgers. He also caught a touchdown aligned as a fullback in overtime versus Nebraska.
He’s at his best getting up to speed and running vertically, doing a nice job pressing upfield and stacking corners (though the Nebraska corner felt totally out to lunch here, to be fair).
Bryant is also a handful to take down post-catch. With size and strength, he churns out tough yards and finishes the play even if he’s not dynamic in the open field. He’s a grinder.
Bryant looks good downfield but really struggles to separate underneath. He’s not sudden nor explosive and consistently has a hard time creating space on a variety of routes, especially by corners who get physical with him. He’s much better in off-man/zone when there’s a runway. Bunch of clips to show it.
Conclusion
Overall, Pat Bryant was a downfield asset who made big plays for Illinois. But a lack of athleticism is going to hurt him at the next level. He’s not a crafty enough route runner in the whole route tree to create separation at the breakpoint and isn’t dominant enough vertically to sustain there, even if that’s his best calling card. That makes him hard to put a high grade on, and he could be an example of a good college receiver who lacks the skillset to translate to the NFL.
My grade is harsher than most, but too many college wideouts with size and vertical ability who aren’t athletic and can’t create space just flame out in the NFL. Bryant doesn’t appear to be the exception.
My NFL comp is former New York Jets WR Charone Peake.
Projection: Mid Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 6.0 – Undrafted Free Agent (Priority Free Agent)
Games Watched: vs Michigan (2024), at Rutgers (2024), at Nebraska (2024), at Penn State (2024), vs Michigan State (2024 – partial)
